'Balloon with holes', 'croaking frog': Shiv Sena clapback against Narayan Rane for 'slap Thackeray' remark

Shiv Sena on Wednesday slammed Union Minister Narayan Rane calling him a "croaking frog" for his alleged "derogatory remarks" against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The editorial of Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana also compared Rane with a "balloon with holes", which the party said, "no matter how much air is filled in this balloon (by BJP), it will never go up."

It mocked the efforts by the BJP to inflate such a "hole-riddled balloon".

"BJP has decided that it will inflate this holes filled balloon. Some people also liken Rane to a croaking frog. But who is Rane? He has himself declared that he is 'not a normal person'. Then, they (BJP) have to check whether he is abnormal," Shiv Sena said.

The party further alleged that despite being given the post of a Union minister, Rane has been behaving like a "roadside gangster".

"Rane and Sanskar (values) were never related. That's why Rane is behaving like a Chhapri (roadside) gangster even after getting the post of Union Minister. Due to the present rejuvenation of the Bharatiya Janata Party, people like Rane are getting respect. That is why not 'normal' Rane could use unparliamentary language of violence for the Chief Minister of Maharashtra," the party said.

Shiv Sena though Saamana further claimed that Rane, with his statement, has shamed the BJP. "The Prime Minister considers himself a very 'normal' person. He calls himself a principal servant of the country. This is his humility. But Rane says, 'I am not normal. Possibly that's why he is above the law and feels that he has not done any crime... The holed balloon named Rane is stuck around the neck of Fadnavis-Patil," the party said.

"At such a time, cultured politicians would have left Maharashtra by apologizing. Because no one is bigger in front of the pride of Maharashtra. But for BJP, the prestige of Maharashtra and the prestige of the Chief Minister is a secondary matter,' it added.

Rane, who was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged derogatory statement against Thackeray was granted bail a few hours later by the local court in Mahad of Raigarh district.

Rane on Monday accused Thackeray of ignorance about the year of India's independence at an event and said "I would have given (him) a tight slap."

The Union Minister was arrested in Ratnagiri district after several FIRs were registered against him at many places including Nashik and Pune, based on the complaints filed by Shiv Sena leaders for his remarks against Thackeray.

(ANI)